We love to hear from listeners and contacting us is easy here.  We offer these shows for free. If you think it’s worthy of a small contribution, we sure would appreciate it. This is Episode 23 of Season 4. In it, I interview Dan Flitner in one of several new episodes about Buck the Trend, the mental health forum held recently in southwestern Colorado. Buck the Trend, operated under the auspices of the Best Horse Practices Summit, attempts to address the following issues: -- Our work can be isolating and demanding and there are cultural, logistical, economic, and social impediments to getting help and being well. -- Our mental health and wellness impact not just us, but those around us, including family, friends, coworkers, and, of course, the animals. -- Horses may be “therapeutic.” They can make us feel better. But they can’t necessarily help us build skills to navigate interpersonal relationships and feel better about ourselves. Buck the Trend is focused on skill-building and elevating the mental health conversation in our community. It’s an opportunity to focus on ourselves for a moment, so that we can enhance and improve what’s around us, specifically, the well-being of those close to us, humans and non-humans alike, as well as the greater horse community.   Dan is a rancher in Oregon. He hails from Wyoming and has ranched all his life. Dan got involved in BTT several months ago as a supporter and consultant. His nephew, Luke Bell, a cowboy and rising star in country music, had serious mental health concerns and was found dead in Tuscon, Arizona, about 18 months ago. Mental health has been on his mind and on the minds of his family for some time.  Let’s first give a nod to our sponsors. We welcome Hoka and Skratch Labs the show. Jec and I consider ourselves athletes and we hope you do, too. Like they say with horses and hooves, for want of a shoe a horse was lost, for want of a horse, a rider was lost. Well, we think the same goes for happy human feet. When they’re not in riding boots, keep your feet happy in Hokas. Also, did you know that Skratch labs offers milk and cookies? They have chocolate milk mix with probiotics, to which you simply add water. And they have cookie mix to which you add butter and things like chocolate chips and nuts. Or whatever you want. Check these new show supporters out at hoka.com and skratch labs .com Thanks to our title sponsor, Lucerne Farms, producers of quality forage feeds, extremely handy and healthy bales of alfalfa, timothy, and grass blends. A great addition or substitute for your hay or grass and way better than grain. They also make products for your stalls and chickens. Check them out at lucerne farms com I’ll be featuring a few more interviews from Buck the Trend. Next up, KD Bryant and Joseph Prekup, the two therapists at BTT. Stay tuned for that next week.  If you’re interested in getting involved or supporting this effort, head here.  Thanks to Redmond Equine and Pharm Aloe – for generously sponsoring our podcast. Check out Pharm Aloe’s aloe pellets which you can simply sprinkle on your horse’s feed and Redmond’s Rock on a Rope which you can simply hang on a fence. We think you’ll love ‘em. Also thanks to Patagonia WorkWear for their continued support. Give us feedback, suggest a topic or guest, or make a donation and you’ll be automatically entered to win one of two free Patagonia WorkWear items that we give away every month. Don’t forget that Redmond Equine is sending a complimentary syringe of Daily Gold Stress Relief to everyone who drops a tip in our donation jar. Pretty cool and a $15 value. If you get something of value from our podcast, please consider making a donation. We sure would appreciate it. That’s it. Another episode in the can and out of the barn. Thanks for listening.